Friends of the Library

On Saturday, November 11th we will be holding a book signing and author visit with Sarah Rupalo who is the author of A Shaken Leaf. Sarah’s newest book promises to be a very intriguing story. The characters draw you into this important theme. Her book, Keeper’s Choice, is a well read mystery here at Drake Public Library. Sarah will be available with copies of her newest book and her previous books from 10:00am until Noon.

Sarah has been a guest author at Drake Public Library before and we are very pleased that she is available to visit with our patrons and the fans of her writing again. Her books are available for check out here at the library or you can find them on Amazon.com. Sarah will be also selling signed copies for patrons the day of the book signing. Please join us to celebrate the published works of this Seymour, Iowa author!

“In A Shaken Leaf, Lora Hobart, an ambitious preacher’s wife, manipulates the lives of her family to push her husband’s career to a higher level. Hiding her bigotry and greed, she forces her twins, Damaris and Deborah, to keep a terrible secret. Years later, Keisha Carter’s search for her biological mother reveals shocking truths that could destroy the family. Can a symbolic dried leaf bring two families back together again?”

The Friends of the Drake Public Library are proud to be hosting this wonderful event. Come and meet Sarah, hear a little more about her books and perhaps buy a signed copy for yourself. Refreshments will be available.

On Saturday, May 13 at 11am, two popular authors from Centerville, Kathryn Wood (CHS 1958) and Garry Cox (CHS 1960) have been invited home to share their poetry and storytelling skills with an audience of old and new friends.

Garry L. Coxis a teacher, poet, actor, playwright and public speaker. Garry will be reading from his book of poetry, The Waters of Appanoose County.

“I’m really just a big ham-ever since I was in the Lincoln Elementary School Production of The Big Bad Wolf and brought down the house by diving head-first into a huge waste can we were using as a chimney. Anything to please an audience. Including standing still and sharing some poems I’ve written to express my gratitude for a life full of blessings.”

The Waters of Appanoose Countyis available at Amazon.com. For an even more fun option, go to Garry’s website, garrycox.com and check out his blog and click on BOOK to purchase.

Kathryn Woodwill be reading from her book, An Unbroken Promise.

“I currently live in Cedar Falls to be close to my daughter and her family. I grew up in Centerville and graduated with the class of 1958. I married Clyde Wood of Exline, Iowa and we had a son and a daughter. My son is a history professor and teaches at a small college in West Virginia. My daughter is a physical therapist in Cedar Falls.”

“Clyde died in 1987 and since then, I have been exploring life as a single person, walking a trail cut out for one. Since the writing of An Unbroken Promise, I have also contributed a story as part of a book, Sex, Lies and Scandals in Two Rivers.”

An Unbroken Promiseis available on Amazon.

Copies of Garry and Kathryn’s books will be available for purchase through cash or check during their visit to the Drake Public Library.

The Friends of the Drake Public Library are graciously hosting this event.

The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday makes me realize how very thankful I am for the Drake Public Library and for those of you who support us. The Friends of the Drake Public Library fund children’s programming and so many other things! Thank you for working very hard to make sure that our library has whatever we need. Our Drake Public Library Foundation raises and manages funds through memorials and large donations. Thank you for ensuring the future of our library and our services.

Our library Board of Trustees is a strong support for me. Thank you for planning for the future, assisting me in developing policies, and advocating for the library throughout the community. The City of Centerville provides funding for the library and I am thankful to have strong leaders within the City Council, the Mayor’s office and administrative team to help me and support the library.

The staff at Drake Public Library has some of the hardest working people I’ve ever met. Thank you, Beth, Julie, Kristin, Pam, Chaz and our volunteers John, James and Nikki, for being reliable, knowledgeable, patient and kind. I am very lucky to have these coworkers and friends. Finally, our patrons…because without you, we wouldn’t be here! Thank you for kind words, patience, timely suggestions, interesting conversations, and of course tasty treats! Our patrons are some of the best and the staff at the Drake Public Library is very thankful for all of you.

Please enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday. We will be closed on Thursday and Friday so that our staff can enjoy time with their families. Thank you!

March 14, 2016 is better known as Pi Day (think 3.14159) and the Friends of the Drake Public Library will be holding their own Pie Day. Help us celebrate this never ending day…and Einstein’s birthday, by stopping by the library and purchasing a fresh, homemade pie! All pies are graciously baked and donated by many of our dedicated patrons and FDPL members. All pie bakers should drop their pies off at the library Monday morning after we open at 10:00am. The official start time to purchase pies is 1:59pm, but we will not turn away early birds. 🙂 All proceeds from the sale of these yummy pies will benefit Drake Public Library.

This week, March 7 through March 12, is our annual Scholastic Book Fair. Patrons are having fun browsing the many children’s book titles on display at our book fair. This is a great opportunity to purchase books for yourself or a young person in your life. You can also purchase a book from our Wish List and donate it directly to the Children’s Library. Our online book fair is also set up and running through March 18 at bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/drakepubliclibrary .

There are so many ways to support your Drake Public Library and now you can show your support through shopping!

The house is a mess, Christmas presents sit opened but not put away. Christmas candies and fudge have lost their appeal. Nobody knows what day of the week it is or if they should go to work or hibernate.

Now is the time to:

Make some resolutions for the upcoming year. Here are mine:

Read more books

Stop checking my phone and wasting time on social media networks.

Clean out bookcases and donate books and DVDs to your library.

Join Friends of the Drake Public library. Or renew your membership.

Name Tag

Make a reading goal. How many books will you read this year?

Remember if you received a Kindle, Ipad, or tablet for Christmas, you can download ebooks for FREE from your local library. Stop in and ask us for details!

December is coming to a close, now is the time to reflect on the past year at the Drake Public Library. Here are some highlights of our year.

Scholastic book fair in March had profits of $1,717.41. Library received many books with the Scholastic dollars that were raised.

Friends of Drake Public library held a penny drive with the hopes of collecting fifty pounds of pennies. They netted over two hundred pounds of pennies! That is no small feat!

The Summer Reading program was a success. Over 300 local kids registered and counted reading hours. Yard signs purchased by Friends of the Drake Library dotted the landscape all over town. The theme for the annual event was “Every Hero has a story”. The library hosted a Veteran’s Appreciation program. Participants also had a visit from the Science Center of Iowa, Blank Park Zoo, and took a field trip to the Appanoose County Historical museum. A finale program wrapped things up with an outdoor evening movie and a Make your own Minion treat bar.

Circulation of library materials from December 1, 2014 to December 1, 2015 totaled 89,359.

The Kiss a Goat contest raised $438.77 for the library. Contestants Pete Lind, Mark Waits, and Jan Spurgeon were edged out by write in candidate Greger Barth. He puckered up and kissed George the Goat on September 11, 2015.

Friends also held a raffle and a Christmas boutique.

Two new book clubs were started by staff member Crys McKissick. Genre Shifters Book Club for adults and D3 for avid young readers.

Friends of the Drake Public Library are in need of several unique, quality items to include in our upcoming ‘Boutique’ fundraiser. The boutique will not be held until Saturday, November 14th but it is necessary for us to know what we can count on, in advance. The exact venue and time will be announced later.

Do you have a special talent for creating a unique item(s) that Friends’ can sell to raise money to support the Drake Public Library? Examples may be, but not limited to, crocheted pieces, knitted items, embroidered items, quilts (large or small), paintings, pottery, jewelry, anything handcrafted that would draw interest from shoppers looking for unique gifts.

If you have an item to donate, you may bring it to the library and leave it with Jami or any staff person, or contact Sue Sacco (boutique chair). It will be helpful if you give an approximate value for your item. Persons donating items will be given full credit for their donation, via emails, newsletters, Facebook, flyers, and the Drake library website. We welcome artisans to attach a business card or brochure to their items to promote their business or talent. For more information, call the library at 641-856-6676 and speak to Jami.

Greger Barth won the contest sponsored by the Friends of the Drake Library. The contest raised $438.77. All proceeds will go to the library. Thanks to our candidates, Mr. Barth, Jan Spurgeon, Mark Waits and Pete Lind.

JeNel is hosting after school programs on Mondays and Thursdays. Join her Mondays at 4 p.m. for storytime for grade school children. Thursdays at 4 p.m. she is holding a hobby hour. All programs last until 5 p.m. For more information, call JeNel at the library at 641-856-6676.

Toddler storytime is still Wednesday mornings at 11:30 am.

The library has a new color/black and white copier. The machine, prints, copies, scans, and faxes. Black and white copies are 10 cents a page and color copies are 50 cents per page. Faxing is $1.00 per page to send, faxes sent to a toll free number are free.

Genre-Shifter’s book club is currently reading “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern. Join us for book discussion on Friday September 25th at 6 p.m. October’s book is “Beyond the Great Snowy Mountains” by Louis L’Amour.

Wondering about that classmate that you sat by in High School Geometry class? Did you know that the Drake Library has CHS yearbooks dating back into the 1920’s? Stop by and browse the years and giggle over those out dated hair styles!

The library will be closed on Saturday September 26, 2015. This holiday is known as Pancake Day and the librarians enjoy eating pancakes and shushing people during the “Big” parade.

Don’t forget that September is National Library Card sign up month.

“You want weapons? We’re in a library! Books! The best weapons in the world!”
— The Doctor, Season 2, Episode 2

Fun Fact: Did you know that the Drake Library subscribes to over 90 magazines? All paid for by the Friends of the Drake Public Library.

Goat kissing ceremony will be Friday September 11, 2015 at 3:30 p.m. Information and photos on next week’s blog.